Prince George – North Cariboo MLA Sheldon Clare had strong words about the NDP’s Budget 2025. Saying that it’s not what it looks like, and the Conservative Opposition is deeply concerned.
“The strongest concern is that this is not a budget that has been intended to actually deal with the tariffs,” says Clare. “This budget looks like something more of a status quo, it’s not an austerity budget. We’re projecting a significant deficit of around $11 billion.”
The NDP’s proposed Budget 2025: Standing Strong for B.C., simplified as ‘Budget 2025’, primarily targets healthcare, education, and social services.
Clare says Budget 2025 falls short by not providing “clear targets” to promote the provincial economy to British Columbians. The government does not administer direct support for the “struggling” Forestry sector. Living costs such as natural gas and the carbon tax are set to increase.
Budget 2025 calls to make invest in a more diversified economy. Which Clare worries will hurt other staple industries in B.C. such as tourism, and agriculture are predicted to be taking hits with the tariffs and not seeing direct support from province’s budget.
“I think the key takeaway is that nobody’s happy,” Clare says. “Even the traditional supporters of the NDP were not happy with this budget. we’re just not seeing the action that’s needed to help people go forward and to build up an economy that’s going to get British Columbians working.”
A bigger concern missing from Budget 2025 to Clare is there is no mention of building the Quesnel North – South Interconnector or starting the project. The Cariboo Road Recovery Projects in Cottonwood and Knickerbocker established in the plan. However, Clare says it does not take into account the infrastructure work needed to be done.
“It [the interconnector] would be a major expenditure; however it would provide a lot of work. It would make the province more secure in its road infrastructure.”
Budget 2025 has many concerns to Clare. He says the opposition will have the chance to assess how the tariffs will shape the province’s economy soon, and then think of new solutions for problems he foresees in this budget.
“ We’ve got to find a way to avert what is looking to me like a significant financial crisis in this province. We’ve really got to work to getting everybody back to work in a productive way that’s going to move British Columbia forward.”
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